


Memories and Magic

by Transformersfan123



Series: Memories and Magic [1]
Category: Sofia the First (Cartoon)
Genre: Bite, Cedric the Sorcerer - Freeform, Childhood Memories, Friendship, Gen, Magic, Memories, Mention of Death, Mind Link, Mind Talk, Mystic Isles, New Friendship, OC death, Old Love, Past Love, Past Reveal, Past Romance, Poison, Princess Sofia - Freeform, Shadowlings, Shadows - Freeform, Sofia - Freeform, Sorcerer, Traveling, cedric - Freeform, curse, magic amulet, sharing memories, sorcery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-11
Updated: 2018-01-11
Packaged: 2019-03-03 13:09:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 9,400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13341906
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Transformersfan123/pseuds/Transformersfan123
Summary: After waking up in a strange place, Cedric and Sofia try to find a way back home. Sofia believes they are in the Mystic Isles, but how they got there is a mystery. Piece by piece, they start to see each other's lives. Cedric's past comes to light, about why he's so nervous around the king, and a girl called Ambretta is part of the reason. Who is she? FRIENDSHIP ONLY!





	1. Where Are We?

**Author's Note:**

> f I'm honest, I'm not completely caught up on the series, but I saw the episode where Cedric tries to take over the kingdom for real, and I got the idea for this. I do believe it's going to be a trilogy, but there's no promises yet.
> 
> On another note, I love Sofia the first! Such a diverse cartoon! Cedric is my favorite character, and this should prove it.
> 
> Oh, and to be very, very clear. This is a FRIENDSHIPstory! No romance between Cedric and Sofia! Now that that's out of the way, please enjoy!
> 
> I have recorded the entire trilogy as a podfic on youtube. Here is chapter 1: https://youtu.be/6fDiy9Q48Ok

Cedric groaned loudly, touching his sore head, which throbbed at the brush of his fingers. He sat up blearily, wondering what spell or potion he'd messed up—again—to give him such a strange feeling of otherworldliness. After glancing around for a moment, he did a doubletake. The sky was pink with diamond-like stars sparkling beside a beautiful silver moon high above him, a golden sun shimmering on the far horizon.

"Oh, great, Wormy! I teleported myself!" Cedric growled angrily. "And I'm not really sure where, either!"

Silence greeted him. There was no snarky reply, and Cedric looked around. Usually Wormwood was involved in his mistakes. Where was Wormwood? What had he done? And most importantly, where was he? A purple lump on the ground caught his attention, and his heart nearly stopped.

"Sofia!"

The sorcerer scrambled over, barely noticing the weakness in his limbs as fear settled in his heart. She couldn't be hurt!

"Sofia?" Cedric asked hesitantly. "Sofia? Please get up?"

"Oh, Mr. Cedric, go away. I don't feel well," she said softly, curling up tighter.

"Go away where, exactly?" he mused out loud.

Sofia opened he eyes groggily. "What?" Her blue orbs landed on the gleaming silver ball above them. Slowly sitting up, she looked around. "Mr. Cedric? Where are we?"

"I'm not sure, my dear," the man replied, touching his head again. He cringed at the tenderness. "Oh, my head hurts."

Sofia immediately checked her head, finding a similar ache in about the same spot. Cedric watched worriedly as she winced.

"Ow," she said weakly, tears gleaming briefly before she blinked them away.

"Are you going to be okay?" the thin man asked quietly, glancing around the glimmering green and blue grass.

"I think so. Where are we?"

"I still haven't the foggiest, my dear," Cedric said. "Let's see if we can get our bearings, shall we?"

They struggled to their feet.

"Oh, Mr. Cedric," Sofia said with a quavering voice. "My legs feel like jelly."

"I'm not feeling too steady myself," Cedric replied, shaking like a leaf.

He sank back down, Sofia following a moment later. She coughed lightly. "I'm thirsty."

Cedric swallowed convulsively, which brought to his attention his rather parched throat. He coughed, too. "Oh, well…there's a stream over there."

After several more unsuccessful attempts at standing, they crawled over on shaky arms to the water. They took in quite a few handfuls before their thirst was sated then they sat there looking around.

A whinny brought their attention to a unicorn. Sofia stared for a moment the glanced up. "Are we in the Mystic Isles?"

"Impossible," Cedric said dismissively then pursed his lips, looking up at the sound of a roar. A dragon swooped overhead, disappearing into the clouds. "And yet…"

After an hour or so, they got their feet under them and, at a loss for what else to do, started walking upstream.

"I've never been to this part of the Isles if we really are there," Sofia said thoughtfully.

Cedric nodded numbly. She had mentioned once before that she'd been to the Mystic Isles, though she had blushed when he asked how and why, so he had stopped asking. He saw a fruit tree, and his stomach complained, Sofia's following a moment later.

"Hungry?"

"Oh, very," Sofia replied.

Cedric reached up and plucked a big, purple and green fruit, sniffing it suspiciously. "I don't know…It could be magical. It's more likely if we really are where you think we are."

Sofia frowned as her stomach snarled. "Do we have a choice?"

"Not really," Cedric admitted, picking another then walking over to sit by the stream. "To be honest, the water might be magical, too. Not much we can do about it."

They tried hard to peel the fruit, as it was apparent that they couldn't just eat the skin, but it wouldn't peel. Cedric finally searched for his wand. It wasn't up his sleeve. Panic flared through him, and he knew Sofia could see how frightened he was. She placed her small hand on his larger one.

"You okay?"

"My wand is gone!" he moaned.

Sofia nodded, automatically reaching up to stroke her amulet…or where it should have been.

"My amulet!" she gasped in fear.

"Maybe they're where we woke up?" Cedric asked.

Without another word, they stood and ran back downstream, searching desperately for their magical items. There was no sign of them. When Sofia sat down and began to sob, Cedric almost joined her, his eyes burning and his heart heavy. He lowered himself to sit morosely beside her as he considered the facts.

They were in a strange place, most likely magical, and neither of them had their magical items. They were hungry with nothing to eat but magical fruit, and they probably had ingested magical water. The side effects might take a while to appear, and they could literally be _anything_. It was such a scary thought that their future was so uncertain. He wanted to curl up and hold himself, but he had to be strong for Sofia's sake.

"What do we do, Mr. Cedric?" Sofia asked brokenly.

"I don't know," he whispered in reply.

They sat there, Cedric trying to keep from crying, and Sofia trying to stop. Their growling bellies finally roused the sorcerer. He helped the princess up and guided her back to the fruit before he pulled a small knife from a sheath at his hip. Sofia sniffled.

"Where did that come from?"

"Wands are a sorcerer's best tool, but even the common man carries a knife," Cedric responded with a nod. "And I made this enchanted knife when I was a child. It has much magic in it. We are very lucky it isn't gone like your amulet and my wand. This might get into the fruit."

Cedric slowly drew the knife across the fruit's skin, wary that it could explode or ensnare him or…anything, really. Whether it was the magic that the sorcerer had suffused into the metal throughout the years, or just the fact that it was sharp, the hard rind was sliced right through. The flesh of their meal was bright red. Cedric took a small, hesitant bite, chewing thoughtfully. It was delicious, sweet and tart at the same time. When he didn't start to claw his skin off, or anything else unpleasant, he offered a segment to Sofia.

"Thank you," she said softly.

They polished off both fruits then washed it down with the stream water before cleaning their hands. Cedric looked around.

"All right, we need a plan."

"We need to stay near the food and water," Sofia said analytically.

"Agreed. We'll stay near here for now, but I think we should explore a little. If it doesn't change on us by the time we wake up."

They walked for an hour, the golden sun crossing the sky rapidly, then settled under the boughs of the fruit tree by the time that the heavens turned velvety black. The stars were brighter and the silver moon, which hadn't left the sky all day, gleamed, turning the world into a mysterious realm of glowing flowers.

Cedric picked two more pieces of fruit and sliced into them again. Sofia gratefully ate her share then yawned.

"I hope we wake up back home, Mr. Cedric."

"I hope so, too, my dear."

He removed his outer robe and covered her up to keep her warm. It was a delightfully cozy night, so he was fine. She quickly fell asleep, tired out by their long walk and the zigzag of emotions. The fruit above them began to glow, and Cedric watched as fireflies began to zip around. They were so many different colors that it nearly dazzled him when they all flashed at the same time.

He watched them for a while then plucked another fruit, sectioning it and eating slowly. The sorcerer figured that he was already overflowing with the magic from the water and the other two pieces he ate, so whatever harm they would cause would happen anyway. Picking at the rind, he considered what he'd told her for a moment as the memories of where they were slowly came back to him. He had confirmed to the girl that he wanted to wake up back home, which was more than he could say of himself the last time he'd been in this place. He had never wanted to leave, and in fact, he didn't know how. Did he really want to go home?

"I hope so, for your sake," he murmured softly as he mused to himself. "But how to get out of here? I never did figure that out the first time…" Sofia shifted, so Cedric decided to stop talking and used his arms as a pillow, cushioning his head as he fell asleep.


	2. Ambretta

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Podfic audio: https://youtu.be/JDJHTs57hLA

_"Come on, Cedric!" the girl laughed. "Help me try again!"_

_Her beautiful eyes were golden orbs, sending his heart aflutter. He could sense his cheeks burning hot as she smiled at him. He went around to stand behind her, wrapping an arm around her waist, feeling so very conscious of the brush of her hair against his cheek, her perfume in his nose, and her soft, delicate hand settling on his arm. His much-too-thin-not-muscular-at-all arm. But still the elegant limb settled there, and his eyes were drawn to the purple polish on her nails. It was chipped and scratched, attesting to her adventurous tastes. Her mother had never tamed her. But she didn't need to be tamed._

_"Now," he said, his voice steady as his heart pounded. "Relax. Focus on the magic. Keep your hand level and your breathing even. Inhale…and concentrate…"_

_The flower her gaze was locked on twitched, but Cedric could feel that she couldn't do it. Not yet at least. Maybe not ever, but he kept that thought to himself. He extended a hand and the silver flower bloomed as it levitated up. She pulled away, her cheeks red in embarrassment._

_"It's all right, my dear," Cedric said, lightly touching her chin to meet her eyes. "It isn't for everybody."_

_"But you're so good, Cedric," she said, brushing him aside._

_"I just was born with a lot of magic."_

_She shrugged, looking ready to cry. Cedric watched her for a moment then drew his hand in front of his body. Flowers of all sorts leaped up into a bouquet, and he bowed as he held it out to the girl._

_"Ambretta?"_

_She smiled at him, taking the flowers and inhaling. A rough laugh sounded out, and Cedric lost all nerve._

_"I…I think father's calling me."_

_"Cedric…you shouldn't be afraid of him," Ambretta said softly, taking his hand._

_"He can do me more harm than you think. I have to get home anyway. Bye."_

_Cedric walked home silently, her scent trailing with him. He got to the castle and trudged to his room. His mother wasn't there, for which he was grateful. He wanted to think about that beautiful girl a little bit more._


	3. Tempest

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Podfic Audio: https://youtu.be/kUu60Ll7nkw

He heard splashing, which woke him up. He grunted in irritation. "Wormy, what are you doing?"

"It's me, Mr. Cedric."

Memory slapped him hard and he sat up to look around. He was disappointed to see that they were still in the Mystic Isles, which was what he had decided to call the place; he honestly had no clue where they were, but having a name for their location helped him to keep in mind he wasn't back in Enchancia. Muttering a curse and rolling his eyes, he decided that he couldn't just lay there until they went home, so he got up and washed his face in the stream before taking a big, healthy drink of the crisp, clear water. Sofia's face was washed and her hair a little messy, but she was more than presentable, all things considering. He got them breakfast, peeling the fruit with ease. It was all starting to come back to him, and he idly wondered how long he could hide it from Sofia.

"Well, what are we going to do today?" Sofia asked when they were done.

"Try to explore a little more. See if there's any other kinds of food. And preferably find a hot spring, or at least a big enough pool, where we can bathe. We need to be presentable, at least. This place switches around, but there's usually food and drink close enough to each other that we could travel. We just have to pick a direction." Well, so much for hiding it from the girl.

Sofia was confused, her big eyes studying him. "Have you been here before, Mr. Cedric?"

Cedric's silver eyes dulled as he remembered his hopelessness the first time, and he suddenly looked so very sad that the princess switched topics.

"I had a funny dream last night."

"Oh really?" Cedric asked, a bit of light coming back to his gaze.

"Yeah."

There was a long pause, and Cedric arched an eyebrow as he shot a glance at her. "Are you not going to tell me about it?"

"It's a bit strange," she admitted.

"What about our lives isn't strange?" he queried idly. "We're in the Mystic Isles and we don't know how we got here or how to get home."

"True. It's just…" Sofia didn't know why she was so hesitant to bring it up. It stirred strange feelings inside of her to think of what had happened, feelings she didn't understand. She finally let out a breath. "I dreamed I was with this girl. And…I was you. She was trying to make a flower float without a wand, and she couldn't do it, but you did do it. And I was just wondering how you did…that…Mr. Cedric? Are you all right?"

Cedric's cheeks paled then flushed, causing the most interesting splotchy pattern to spider web across his face. He looked strange, a mix of fright, embarrassment, and anger in his eyes.

"Don't you _ever_ mention that again!" he spat harshly, a dark look that turned his silver eyes into tempest grey. Sofia flushed, backing up as fear wormed its way into her heart.

"M-Mr. Cedric?"

He looked so terrifying glaring at her like that, like there was a storm brewing deep inside of him. It was a terrible storm, one with lightning and thunder and gale force winds. It was the kind of storm that made her run to her mother even though she was almost eleven. She shivered and looked away. Cedric watched her shrink into herself, softening a little. He placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Sofia, I'm sorry for being harsh. But I don't talk about Ambretta. Ever. Do not ask me again, please. And I ask that you not share what you saw with anybody. That was extremely personal for me."

"Yes, Mr. Cedric," Sofia said softly. "I…I didn't mean to…to…"

"I know, my dear. I know. I shouldn't have snapped at you. You didn't know any better."

Sofia bit her bottom lip. "Will you tell me how you made the flowers move without a wand?"

Cedric considered it for a moment. He trusted her, but it was strange… "Not at the moment. Maybe later."

Sofia smiled and nodded. "All right then. Where to?"

"Pick a direction," Cedric said with a shrug.

"How about…this way?" she asked, pointing downstream.

"Sounds good to me, dear. Let's go."

They began to walk, looking around at the world. There had been no signs of life, animal or human, since the unicorn and the dragon the day before. After a few hours with sparse conversation, Sofia started looking sad.

"I miss Clover."

"Your rabbit?" Cedric asked lightly.

"Yeah. Don't you miss Wormwood?"

"Eh, I was alone before him, and it's nice to not have a smart-alecky bird telling me everything I'm doing wrong."

"Does he ever say anything nice?"

"Wormwood? It's not really in his personality to be nice," Cedric replied with a shrug, his shoulders slumping as his countenance dipped into light depression. "Not many people are nice around me, anyway."

"But Dad promised he would be nicer!" the girl protested.

"Oh, he is when I'm around, no doubt for your sake. But that doesn't mean he doesn't make fun of me when he thinks I'm not listening. He's never respected me."

"Why not?" Sofia asked. "Dad is nice to everybody!"

Cedric let out a burst of the most bitter laughter that Sofia had ever heard. Small bolts zapped between his fingers, and Sofia stared for a moment in surprise before lifting her eyes up to his angry face.

"Mr. Cedric?"

"I refuse to besmirch your perfect father's image in your eyes," Cedric said, shaking his head sadly as the brief expression of anger morphed back into melancholy. "I promised her that I would…" The sorcerer shook his head harder, covering his eyes with a hand. "Nobody but me remembers it anyway."

"Remember what? Promise who?" Sofia asked, feeling hopelessly confused.

Cedric sighed heavily. "I told you I won't talk about Ambretta. And the memory involves her."

"Oh." The princess frowned. "Will you ever talk about it?"

"If I must. But not now." Cedric looked away then his face lit up. "Ah! Look! A hot spring! Would you like to bathe first, or would you like me to?"

"How will we do this?" Sofia questioned, suddenly looking very shy.

"One of us bathes, the other sits over that rise behind that flora over there," Cedric replied, softening at her hesitation. He hadn't had to deal with the thought of being seen naked by anybody last time, but he would have reacted the same way.

Sofia's eyes dashed around then she looked back at him, her face a delicate pink. "You can go first."

Cedric got her settled over the rise, promising to bathe quickly, but he hesitated for a moment. Then he pulled out his knife. "I want you to keep this until I'm done."

"What for?"

The man frowned, memories of dark figures and gleaming eyes plaguing his mind. He finally looked away and shrugged. "Just do it, Sofia."

"Okay…" She rotated around and seated herself as he turned away.

Cedric watched her sit there for a moment then trudged over to the bushes and stripped down. He washed himself quickly, having no choice but to use just water, as he had no soap, then dressed feeling refreshed. _I'll have to make soap to wash our clothes. I'll probably have to figure out how to make new clothes, too, depending on how long we're here._ He combed his fingers through the damp, white part of his hair absentmindedly as he slung his outer robe over his arm, hurrying back to Sofia. He was relieved that the shadows hadn't touched her, _though they usually only come out at night,_ he thought in fright. Composing himself, he cleared his throat.

"Your turn, my dear."

"Soap?" she asked hopefully.

"No soap, I'm afraid," Cedric replied. "I'll try and make some later. Just rinse off. You'll feel much better once you do."

Sofia rushed to the spring, no doubt just wanting to get it over with. The sorcerer settled against a tree with his back to the water. After a few minutes, he began to draw in the dirt. His fingers sketched a simple rose. A power so old it was almost forgotten stirred in his breast and snapped at his fingers. He could practically feel the stem in his hand as he traced the line, about to pull it up…

"Mr. Cedric? I'm done."

Cedric jumped guiltily and swiped his hand across the flower in embarrassment. He quickly brushed the dirt off and stood to see the princess with wet hair.

"Good, good. Now, let's find some lunch!" he said cheerfully, shaking off the thoughts of the power he'd come so close to finding again.

The girl held out his blade. "Here's your knife."

Cedric sheathed it at his hip, then they began to search for food. Sofia found some multicolored berries that the sorcerer tried before nodding at her. They washed their food down with some of the stream's sweet water as the golden disk began setting, signaling the end of the odd day.

"How about we build a fire? There must be dead wood somewhere in this little forest," Sofia suggested, her Buttercup training shining proudly.

"Sounds like a good idea."

That night, they had a roaring fire to keep them warmer and to give them light. Cedric watched Sofia as she grew tired, his thoughts avoiding his memories. He offered her his outer robe again, and she accepted it, falling asleep quickly. Cedric yawned, curling up tightly, closing his eyes and hoping they wouldn't dream about Ambretta again.

Because he had had that dream, too, only it wasn't a dream. For him, it was a memory. If they were dream sharing…Well, he hoped that whatever propriety thing that had stopped the dream before Sofia had seen him in quite the personal situation would keep working. She was so young. She didn't need to experience his youthful lust. The love she might be able to handle, despite the complications that ensued. But to take her innocence with his old lust for Ambretta?

 _'Behave,'_ he thought harshly. The magic purred its response inside of him in a very reassuring way, and Cedric believed it for the first time since the tragedy.


	4. Settling In

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Podfic Audio: https://youtu.be/sh8p4XSnDAg

Cedric yawned as he awoke, stretching out. Sofia was still half-asleep, and it looked as if she was trying to fall back into pleasant dreams. The sorcerer watched her for a moment then went hunting for breakfast. He found some pink and red apple-looking fruit, which, along with the berries that Sofia had found the day before, would make a delightful meal. He set out a lovely spread on a small cloth that he pulled out of his sleeve then looked at a solid, fallen branch and pulled his knife out.

By the time Sofia had roused herself, he had carved two cups, smoothed them out on the inside, and filled them with water, as well as sectioning out the apple-like fruit into small segments. The princess looked pleased as he cleaned his knife and dried it with his shirt.

"Mm, those apples look good!" she exclaimed.

"They appear to be safe," Cedric replied, smiling at the way she was easily satisfied.

"Are there things here that aren't safe?"

Cedric nodded emphatically, frightful memories playing through his mind. "Oh, yes. Depending on your level of natural magic, many things could be dangerous. You apparently have a lot of natural magic inside of you, or else I'm pretty sure the food and water we've ingested would be harming you."

"So, you've been here before?" Sofia asked hesitantly.

The sorcerer cringed. Well, he'd pretty much invited the question. Still, he was reluctant to reveal the extent of his past. "Oh, a few times," he said vaguely, then paused, a smile creeping back onto his face. "I had the most interesting dream last night."

The girl looked interested. "Really?"

"It is a bit odd," he confided mischievously.

"Okay," she said, looking eager to hear what the great magician dreamed of.

Cedric teased her with no answer for a moment then grinned. "I didn't know it was so much fun to ride in the Flying Derby. You are quite skilled, and you learn fast."

Sofia blinked, clearly surprised. "So…you had the same dream I did?"

"I would say it was most assuredly a memory for you, but it was a fascinating change of perspective for me. You and I are certainly different," the sorcerer replied, leaning back on his hands.

A red tinge appeared on her cheeks. "So…did you dream about that…thing the other night?"

The man took a deep breath to steady himself. "Ambretta? Yes, I did. It appears we are memory sharing. Not much to do about it at the moment. It could get more embarrassing as time goes on. Now, how about breakfast?"

She seemed keen to get off the topic of her memory, so they enjoyed their breakfast. Cedric swallowed his last bite of berry then took a long draught of water before clearing his throat.

"Sofia, you are quite the amazing girl. I would not have had the courage to do something like that at your age, or even now, and I admire you for it."

The princess perked up. "Really?"

"Really. And it is only natural to feel disappointment when you think you've failed. But you must remember the Sorcerer's Secret."

"Never give up," Sofia said fondly. "I won't, Mr. Cedric."

"You can drop the Mister," Cedric said with a huff. "At least here in this place."

"It shows I respect you," Sofia argued.

"I know that you respect me," the sorcerer admitted with a shy smile. "Still, don't worry about it. I'd rather you just call me Cedric. Unless you want me to call you Miss Sofia?"

Sofia made a face. "No, thanks. Princess is bad enough in most cases."

Cedric nodded smugly. "I rest my case." He paused then stood. "Well, should we explore some more?"

"Definitely."

This time, they were more relaxed, though at the conscious level they weren't sure why. Cedric had a sneaking suspicion that it was happening like he'd wanted with Ambretta way back when. Sofia was already getting comfortable in this world, which was more than even Ambretta did, even before the fiasco with Roland. But he'd sworn he wouldn't replace her.

_'No, you didn't. You swore you'd never forget her,'_ his thoughts countered. _'And you won't, unlike everybody else. Maybe you can let Sofia know? She is younger than you, and wasn't around back when you—'_

"Stop it," Cedric said out loud, his heart starting to hurt just at the tickling of the memory.

"Stop what?" Sofia asked.

"Oh…Nothing you need to worry about, dear. Look over there! Some waver-wheat! We might be able to make bread!"

"What about fruit juice?" Sofia asked, following his train of thought. "We could have it instead of plain water."

"Certainly feasible," Cedric said excitedly. "We can try different combinations! Find our favorites! Oh, this is fun! Much better than before!"

Sofia watched as the sorcerer hurried over and began to slice down the wheat stalks with his knife. She had never really seen him so happy, not even for the Conjurors' Conference. He seemed at home here, and she was sure he'd been here before just from the way he talked. But he acted so hesitant in talking about it. She suspected that the woman Ambretta had something to do with this place in the Mystic Isles, or else they would be talking openly on how they got here and how to get home.

Sofia was brave, but that look in Cedric's eyes, the look of a tempest inside of him when she first mentioned Ambretta scared her. It looked like raw power, something she wasn't used to seeing. The princess knew that Cedric was very powerful. She could sense it, and always had been able to. But his nervousness always stopped him from performing well in front of others. What if it wasn't nervousness, though? What if…

Sofia didn't really know what else it could be. But even if it was nervousness, there _had_ to be a reason that he was so nervous, especially around her father. He was the nicest man she knew! Right? The younger watched the older stacking wheat. There was that laugh when she had mentioned how nice her father was…Was there something she didn't know about him? There was lots she didn't know about him, she figured, as he was so much older than she was. What was the story between the two men? She wasn't sure she wanted to know.


	5. Prince Roland

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Podfic Audio: https://youtu.be/kyJL_idVnpQ

_Cedric was shoved violently, landing hard in the mud, which coated his new sorcerer's robe. He cried out in dismay as he struggled to his feet, slipping and sliding in the slick, brown substance. That one laugh sounded out, and the cruelty in it made him blush._

_"Where is your respect, magic boy?" the taller, more muscular boy asked._

_"P-p-prince Roland," Cedric stuttered, his face hot as he bowed awkwardly._

_"You're all muddy!" Roland taunted. "How dare you present yourself to me all muddy? I deserve more respect than that!"_

_"Roland! Stop it!" Ambretta barked, storming up and crossing her arms._

_"Ambretta!" he said jovially. "The little rat deserves it!"_

_"Cedric deserves more respect than you," Ambretta growled._

_"I'm greater than him!_ I _am the crown prince! Cedric doesn't deserve any respect, bandy-legged little freak!"_

_"Roland," another girl said quietly, glaring at him. "If you don't stop, I'll get you back."_

_The prince shrugged, glaring at the girl who gave the threat. She wore a beautiful purple amulet around her neck, and she was clothed in a charming red dress. She had piercing green eyes that held fire._

_"Tilly, don't you dare do anything."_

_"Then leave Cedric alone. Mom and Dad want us, anyway."_

_"Come along, Ambretta," Roland said, holding out his arm._

_She responded with a foul word that made Tilly laugh and Roland flush in anger. He huffed, and the prince and the princess left. Ambretta helped Cedric from the mud. He looked humiliated, jerking away and running as fast as he could. He could hear her following. With a huge effort, he struggled through a hedge and hid in his little spot. It was where he could always escape the world. Besides himself, Ambretta was the only one who knew where it was. She pushed through the bushes and touched him gently, trying to brush off the mud._

_Cedric pushed her off and stomped his foot, the mud flying off only to get on her. He blushed in embarrassment._

_"Sorry, let me just…"_

_He waved his hand and the mud fell to the ground. She smiled. "I'm sorry about Roland."_

_"It isn't his fault I'm a bandy-legged freak," Cedric said miserably, turning away._

_"You aren't a freak, and I wouldn't call you bandy-legged," Ambretta scolded. "You are tall and thin. It's just who you are."_

_Cedric shrugged. "Who I am doesn't really matter to the prince. Tilly doesn't mind too much, but Roland will always hate me."_

_"Why?"_

_The boy didn't answer, but his mind provided him the answer: Because you like me, Ambretta._


	6. Why Flowers?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Podfic Audio: https://youtu.be/Gt54PJ72cbE

Cedric just knew the questions would start as soon as she woke up, but they didn't. Maybe after breakfast? No. No questions at all. She looked like she was despondent. Cedric finally knew he had to say something.

"Are you all right, Sofia?"

"Dad pushed you."

Cedric nodded, looking away. "Your father has grown up since then, but he still doesn't respect me. Adults show it differently than children. They gossip."

"I can't see Dad doing that, but…he did."

"Yes. I know," Cedric said, his cheeks warming at the memory. "I'm sorry you had to see that."

"Why would he be so mean to you?"

"I don't know."

Sofia paused. "You thought about…her…when she asked you why Dad hates you."

"Ambretta?" Cedric asked softly, steeling himself. "Yeah. I loved her, and she loved me."

"What happened with her?"

He stayed quiet for a moment then ground out the truth. "She was your stepfather's original wife. She was Amber and James' mother."

"Wait, so she married my Dad?"

Cedric pursed his lips, and his eyes turned storm cloud grey again. "Yes, Sofia. Ambretta married your father."

Sofia stopped questioning, sensing the danger. She lowered her head and sipped her Applet juice, as they had decided to call the pink and red apple-like fruit, which they had then made into a sweet, refreshing juice, as the girl had suggested. Cedric stared at the fire as it flickered with purple at the tips of the flames. His anger morphed into a deep tiredness.

"I was always magically talented as a boy," he stated gently, keeping his eyes on the fire. "But not with a wand. I was always awkward with a wand. But I didn't usually need one."

Sofia hesitated for a moment then plunged into the topic, resolving to be brave. "I've never heard of somebody not needing a wand to perform magic."

"It takes the right kind of person," Cedric replied. "It's an extremely rare phenomenon."

"Then why do you use a wand now?"

"Things happened. _Life_ happened. My magic hasn't really come out too much since Ambretta…" He took a deep breath. "Since she died."

"How did she die?"

"Giving birth to James and Amber. The doctors said she probably could have survived just one, but two was too much for her delicate body. My father and I were gone on a trip, and by the time we returned, she was too far gone. She spoke to me one final time then floated away."

Sofia didn't know what to think. She had never truly experienced death, as her father had died when she was a baby. Since she had never known him, she never thought of him, of what she had missed, and she had never really asked her mother about him. To know somebody so well, yet have them fade away? It was a new thought, and not a pleasant one.

Cedric watched her carefully then leaned back on his arms, tilting his head back to let the wind blow on his face. "I came here for a long time, but I was so miserable that I don't remember much. I didn't care about much more than my misery. When I woke up in the real world, my magic needed a wand to focus through, and it wasn't nearly as powerful as it used to be. My nervousness increased around Roland, who had taken away my precious Ambretta, and everybody else, too, so that my magic stopped working well most of the time. It's starting to come out again."

The man drew a flower in the dirt then pulled it up. The dirt fell away to reveal a golden rose. He breathed in the scent then passed it to Sofia, who stared at it.

"Why is it always flowers?"

"Ambretta loved flowers," Cedric replied with a shrug. "She had a fascination with them. I still have some of her sketches."

"What can you tell me about her? Dad doesn't ever talk about her. If you feel like talking about her."

The sorcerer looked down at her and shook his head. "I don't feel like saying much. She wasn't a princess, she wasn't a sorcerer, but she wasn't a commoner. She was a duchess. Your mother reminds me of her: wise, beautiful, and kind beyond measure. You are like her, too. Maybe that is why my power brought us here."

"Where's here? The Mystic Isles?" Sofia asked, tracing the soft petals of the rose.

Cedric shrugged again. "I'm not sure. It's simply here. I brought Ambretta here a few times. It's like a dream, I think, or a vision. When I went home, I found out that I had been in a comatose state for a while. Time isn't the same here, or there, one of the two. Maybe both. We're both probably in the medical ward, unconscious. I never looked into it. I never tried to figure it out. I tried to forget it. I tried to cast memory spells on myself. But memory spells don't really work on me. They always wear off after a little while. That's why I remember Ivy."

He went silent, curling his arms around his knees. "I don't want to talk about this anymore. Please?"

"I wasn't making you say anything," Sofia responded shyly.

Cedric considered this. "I suppose that's true. Maybe it's about time for me to talk about this. Maybe this memory-sharing is supposed to help me do that. I don't know. We'll probably have another one of your memories then one of mine again. We'll talk about it more then."

Sofia nodded with a smile. "Sounds good. But what happened with my amulet?"

"Same thing that happened with my wand. My power didn't bring them here. I don't know why, but it didn't. Now, let's try to grind some waver-wheat to make some bread."


	7. Worth Dreaming About

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Podfic Audio: https://youtu.be/qxOCBs4-Oho

_Ambretta stared up at Cedric, her eyes sad. Cedric couldn't tear his gaze away from her eyes._

_"Why?"_

_"My parents think it best."_

_Cedric nodded numbly. "Is that all?"_

_She looked away. "I don't love him, Cedric."_

_"Who do you love?"_

_She kissed him tenderly. The boy felt tears winding down his face, and he pushed away. "It was foolish of me to think a duchess would marry a screw-up like me."_

_"You're not a screw-up," she said gently. "But I have a request. Make us forget."_

_"Forget?"_

_"Forget this. I don't want to think of it."_

_Cedric hesitated then kissed her. He didn't ever want to stop, even as he gathered his magic inside of him. A pulse washed over them. Again, and again. They parted._

_"Go home. You won't remember this tomorrow," he said gently._

_"And you?"_

_"Yeah," he lied, his eyes not smiling even as his lips curled. "We'll only see this in dreams."_

_"Then kiss me again. Let's make this worth dreaming about."_


	8. Power

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Podfic Audio: https://youtu.be/q-piZFtPjSQ
> 
> In the last chapter, I stated that Ambretta wanted Cedric to make her forget. She didn't want him to make her forget him, nor did he take it that way. She wanted them to forget the sadness that the announcement (that I implied) of her engagement to Roland had stirred up. When they started kissing, it was still implied in there that it was sadness that finally made them reach that point in their relationship.
> 
> In a moment of youthful passion, they threw caution to the wind and made out, which Ambretta wouldn't feel guilty about afterwards because she knew that she would forget, and she thought (or at least hoped and/or lied to herself about) that Cedric wouldn't remember either. Their culture is very proper, so their actions, outside of marriage, would have been frowned upon, prompting guilt and shame, especially after Ambretta was pledged to the crown prince. A memory spell cleared that up for her, and for a brief time, Cedric, who remembered soon after he forgot because memory spells don't really work too long on him.
> 
> And let me be clear. Kissing is the only thing that happened in the last memory. Ambretta forgot this moment for years until the day she died, where I like to think her failing body and mind broke every memory spell Cedric ever performed on her.

Cedric _really_ didn't want to talk about the latest memory. It had wound up with kissing, and not the light kind Sofia knew about. It was passionate and wanton. That was as far as he had ever gotten with Ambretta, as they hadn't married, but still. It was no doubt going to lead to a talk about the birds and the bees, and the sorcerer was extremely uncomfortable with the thought.

The two of them ate breakfast then Cedric reluctantly broached the topic.

"Did you get the memory?"

"I did," Sofia affirmed.

The man looked away. "And?"

"What did you mean when you told her about how your magic worked?"

Cedric blinked. _"That's_ what you got out of that?"

"What else was I supposed to get out of it?"

The man shook his head. "Ambretta and I…Never mind."

"The kissing?"

"Yes…"

"Mom's explained that stuff to me and Amber."

"Oh, thank goodness," Cedric breathed.

"So? I didn't understand what you said about your magic. You know, _after_ the kissing."

"My magic? I said that it came from inside of me."

"I thought all magic came from the Mystic Isles?"

"It does."

"That doesn't make sense."

"The magic came from my father and my mother, who got it from their parents, and so on back to when the magic first got infused in a human. So, the source of my power, if you go back far enough, is the Mystic Isles."

"But?"

"But my magic doesn't need enhancement or a focus, such as a wand and/or a spell," Cedric explained. "Or at least, my previous magic didn't anyway."

"You said it was inside of you, though."

Cedric smiled patiently. "Most people are descended in one way or another from a sorcerer or witch or other person with magic inside of them. It's passed down in the blood, but it can skip generations, get watered down, or disappear entirely in a family line." He paused and played with his hands. "That is another reason your father wasn't the kindest person to me when we were growing up."

"Huh?"

"You know Duchess Matilda?"

"Aunt Tilly?" Sofia asked.

"Yes." Cedric took a deep breath. "She has a lot of natural magic, which is either a reason why the amulet chose her, or it came out as a result of being chosen. Roland couldn't bear to hate her, but he had no qualms about me."

"I don't understand."

"Your father doesn't have much natural magic. I don't think he has any, honestly, and James and Amber inherited that from him."

"What about Ambretta?"

Cedric smiled. "She wanted magic so badly. She wanted to be like me. I didn't really have the heart to tell her that she wasn't so magical. She was one of the few who learned how to harness the magic outside of her, though she had to use a wand."

Sofia thought for a moment. "What about me?"

The sorcerer waved his hand and a daisy appeared in his hand, though it wasn't in bloom. He stood up, gesturing for the girl to do the same. Placing the flower on the ground, he moved to stand behind her.

"Try to make it bloom."

"How?"

"Focus. Breathe in…and out. Concentrate on the flower, what you want it to look like."

Sofia held out her hand awkwardly. A flash of light shot between the two humans and they gasped. Suddenly, a whole field bloomed around them, and the girl couldn't breathe properly as she _felt_ how powerful Cedric was. It was the storm she'd seen in his eyes when she'd first mentioned Ambretta. It was what she had first sensed in him when they'd met, though she'd been blinded by admiration of magic that she hadn't really seen before in her village life. It was overwhelming.

 _And now you will share it,_ the magic said, and they were zapped and linked together. They couldn't stop drowning in the power, power that had been too long held at bay by grief. They knew that if Cedric wasn't linked to at least one person, he would die from the overabundance of magic inside of him. And Sofia was the perfect person, since Tilly wasn't there. Their minds stretched and they heard rapid movement.

_"Get the king!" a male voice barked._

_Sofia struggled to open her eyes, but found she couldn't. She was torn between two places at once. She felt as if she were melting, and she couldn't stop shivering. Cedric faired no better, and there was a harsh curse._

_"Don't get the king! Go get Goodwyn! They're getting worse!"_

_More footsteps, and they flashed between here and there. A hand touched one of their arms, and they heard Winifred's voice._

_"Cedric! Stop it! You'll kill her!"_

_"Get back, Winifred!"_

_"You can't hurt him!"_

_"He might kill both of them at this rate!"_

_"Don't!"_

_There was a flood of tingling and a sharp scream from the other end of the blackness._

_"He countered it!" Winifred gasped._

_"Don't you let him hurt my daughter!" Roland barked angrily as his heavy step came running into the room._

_"I can't stop him, your majesty," Goodwyn wheezed. "Whatever he's doing, I can't stop him. You know how he got last time."_

_"He wasn't killing my daughter last time! Try again!"_

_"Sire, please," Winifred begged._

_"What's going on, Daddy? Is Sofia awake?" Amber asked._

_"No! Get out of here!"_

_"Dad?" James asked fearfully._

_"Look!" Miranda gasped, and there was still silence. Power cascaded through them, pulsing with each beat of their synchronized hearts._

_"The amulet!" somebody breathed._

They came to in the Mystic Isles, gasping for breath. They looked at each other, pale and sweating. Sofia began to cry, the sorcerer following quickly.

"Cedric?"

"Shh, it's okay," Cedric soothed, embracing her.

She reached up and wiped away his tears as she shivered. When they calmed down, Sofia stepped back.

"What was that?"

"A moment of reality," Cedric said. "I must be causing our bodies to be physically ill."

"Will we die?" Sofia asked fearfully.

"I don't know. Let's get something to eat."

Neither of them were hungry, but it was an excuse to not talk. They quickly fell asleep afterwards. Their dreams were more intense, and Cedric saw Sofia's point of view from when she was cursed with the croak. They both resisted waking up for the longest time the next morning, but they knew it was inevitable. So, they finally sat down and talked about it over breakfast.


	9. Shadows

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Podfic Audio: https://youtu.be/mD0-uei05H4

Their new bond was strange to both of them. They were still friends, yes, but they were more. It wasn't romantic, for which Cedric was forever grateful—he honestly didn't think that he could love anybody else the way he had loved Ambretta—but it was deep. Though the memories had slowed almost to the point of every few days, and they weren't nearly as personal, Sofia openly struggled with the natural magic that was bubbling out of her with every emotion. Cedric was trying not to drown in his own power while trying to help Sofia with hers.

After one particularly horrid day where Sofia had liquefied everything that wasn't solid earth beneath her, Cedric made her some tea from herbs that they had found while exploring. He assured her that they were calming herbs.

"How can I drink it?" Sofia demanded, tears in her eyes.

"You need to calm down, dear," Cedric soothed. He held the cup up. "I'll help. The tea might make you a bit drowsy, but it will ease your troubled magic."

Several minutes later, the warm tea was down, and Sofia yawned, easing onto a smooth pillow they had made. To her great relief, she didn't melt it, and she smiled at her friend.

"Thanks, Cedric."

"No problem, Sofia," he assured her. "I've had trouble with my power many times. Granted, it was many years ago, but problems like these tend to stick in your mind."

"Did Ambretta help you?"

"She did indeed. She brought me blue and silver roses whenever my power made me ill." Cedric smiled at the memory. "Now, you sit there and I'll go grab some dinner!"

He strolled off to snatch up some berries and Sofia's favorite blue bonnet blooms (a sweet treat that the princess well and truly loved). He had settled them in a sack at his side when there was an ear-shattering shriek. He jumped and ran toward where he'd left his friend, his heart pounding in his chest as dark whispers reached his ears. The fire was out, and in the light of the silver moon, shadows were silhouetted. They had dark purple eyes, and they were surrounding a shaking lump.

"Get back!" Cedric screamed, throwing his arm out.

A blinding light caught the creatures off guard, and they scattered. The man relit the fire then tenderly helped Sofia to sit up, shushing her sobs.

"What were those things?" she whispered hoarsely once she'd had time to compose herself.

"Good isn't the only thing that comes from the Mystic Isles," Cedric replied grimly. "I don't know what they're called, but they are dark, evil beings that feed off of raw magic, which we have in great abundance. They are poisonous if they touch your blood. Did you get cut or bitten?"

"I don't think so."

"Check yourself. Now. If you see a smidgeon of blood, you tell me."

Cedric turned his back, trying to swallow past the lump in his throat. He was much more frightened than he let on. He knew Sofia, and he had a terrible feeling that she was susceptible to the beasts' poison. She whimpered suddenly, and he turned to see her staring at a large bruise with what looked like teeth marks on her side.

Unable to help himself, he swore as violently as he could then grabbed the princess as she collapsed. He wrapped her in a blanket and a ball of magic then raced into the night with a ball of light in front of him. He needed a specific herb.

"Oh! I'm an idiot!" he moaned as he desperately searched the ground for any sign of what he needed. "I should have gotten it long ago! I knew they'd come back! I knew it! I was too complacent! Damn my stupidity!"

He found a large patch of herbs down by the hot springs and he yanked it up and raced back. The shadows growled at him, but they didn't dare get close again so soon. He boiled the herbs with water, his shaking hands stirring the mixture quickly. He cooled the water a bit then bathed the wound. Sofia was gasping and clutching at the grass in pain as her eyes turned bright purple and started to glow. Her noises took on a sharp edge, sounding quite otherworldly and dark.

"I don't feel so good," she groaned.

"Shh, I'm trying, Sofia," Cedric muttered, his hands pushing out as much poison as he could.

The poison rushed out in black rivulets down her pale skin. When her side ran red, he relaxed and washed her with more water. She watched him with heavy-lidded eyes, her gaze growing more and more hostile as the purple became more pronounced. He knew that some poison had gotten into her system, and he stroked her face.

"Sofia, dear, you know that you're my friend? That I would never hurt you?" he asked. Only the slightest of nods was her response. "I'm sorry, but I can't have you getting out."

He made the earth swallow her hands, pinning her to the ground. She swore and cursed him, and Cedric turned away to hide his tears.

"I'm so sorry, Sofia," he whispered. All he got was snarls and swear words, some of which would have shocked him if it hadn't been for the poison. He settled in to watch over the girl while she was drugged, resolving that it would be quite the long night.


	10. Recovery

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Podfic Audio: https://youtu.be/s9MRozZWUPk

The next morning, Sofia awoke with a headache and bandages wrapped around her middle. She was dressed in a purple nightgown, which she figured meant Cedric had used magic to clothe her. She sat up, cringing at her tender side, and saw that the sorcerer was fast asleep, his face troubled even while dreaming. She shifted toward him, and his eyes flew open.

"Oh! You're awake!" he said, rubbing the sleep away and hurrying over. "Are you alright? Are you hurting? Tell me, please!"

"My side hurts, and my head hurts," Sofia replied. "I don't like those things."

"They are cruel and evil," Cedric muttered, scooping up some warm water. "Hold still. No, you don't need to undress. Magic will help us to avoid that."

The bite was suddenly visible, only the bandages and dress above it were gone. Sofia was grateful, and she held very still while the man bathed her wound, a refreshing scent rising from the water. She inhaled deeply, a smile curling her lips.

"Mm, what's in that?"

"Some very potent Unicorn's Blessing," Cedric replied. "It is very, very rare in our world, but there's plenty here. I have quite the large store of it."

"How? You just said it was rare," Sofia said in bemusement.

"I searched for it for many, many years," he answered as her dress and the bandages beneath reappeared. "I know the power of those creatures, and it was through sheer luck that I remembered reading about the herb. I got bitten rather badly, and I was afraid to go crazy. The world seemed darker, and I remember seeing things. Horrible things." The man shivered. "It was awful."

"How did you have time to find the herb? I started doing that right after I got bit."

Cedric frowned. "It seems you are quite susceptible to their toxins. Yours was an extreme reaction, despite the amount of poison I managed to get out. I am fortunate to have a lesser reaction. I am not completely immune to them, but it took much longer for my mind to start failing."

Sofia looked thoughtful. "Can I build up tolerance?"

"Perhaps," the sorcerer replied. "But right now you need to recover."

She lay down again, relaxing. "You know, Cedric, I want to go home. I don't like those…things. I miss Mom and Dad and Amber and James and Clover."

Cedric frowned. "I'll see if I can find a way to get us back. It could be unpleasant."

"I don't care. I want to see my family again."

He nodded and let her rest, considering how to get home. Cedric had just gone home the last time he was there, with no warning, and before that, with Ambretta, was different. They had simply desired to go home and home they went. He didn't think that would work, and he tapped his fingers nervously. Their magic could probably do it, but they would need to work together, and Sofia was too weak to do anything at the moment. He would let her heal for a few days, then he would share his idea.

Three days later, they were standing under the Applet tree. They touched hands, and Cedric stirred his magic first. Sofia followed suit, and the magic tangled together, recognizing itself. They focused together, breathing quickening, then there was a burst of light as Sofia asked to go home.


	11. Home Again

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Podfic Audio: https://youtu.be/X2XqL2TBc2Q

They awoke with blurred vision, massive headaches, and stiff muscles. They groaned together, starting a chain reaction. The nurse went to get the doctor, who gave them each a physical behind screens. The doctor went to get Goodwyn and Winifred, who checked on the two's magical output. Goodwyn and Winifred ran to get the chef, who brought soup and bread and water for them to consume. The chef got the guards, who ran to find the king and queen. By the time that they showed up, both Sofia and Cedric were well on their way to good health.

"Sofia!" Miranda gasped, embracing her.

Cedric was not so warmly received as the king glared at him. He ignored it as best he could, trying to be happy for his friend. Still, some of his emotional pain seeped through the bond, and Sofia turned to look at him with her big, blue eyes.

"Dad, please don't be mad at him. Whatever happened, it was an accident," the princess begged.

The king softened a little as he gazed at his daughter. "Alright then. If it was only an accident. It _was_ only an accident, wasn't it?"

"Yes, sire," the sorcerer said, a bit frightened. "I don't know what went wrong. I can't remember. A spell or potion perhaps? It would be most helpful if I could get to my workshop and find out that there won't be any lasting damage."

"Once you are cleared by the doctor, that's the first thing you do."

"Yes, sire," Cedric replied, bowing awkwardly while still in bed.

"They need more rest," the doctor said. "They might be cleared tomorrow."

"Good."

The doctor bowed everybody else out then walked over to Sofia. "My dear, what bit you?"

"Bit me?"

"You have teeth marks on your right side. It still looks bruised, and I don't remember seeing it before you woke up."

"I don't know what bit me," Sofia answered honestly.

"If you're sure. I'm sorry to intrude. Please, lay down and rest."

He bowed and left the room. Sofia touched her side. "It followed us here?"

"I told you before, I'm not sure if we were really there or not. Part of us probably was if your bite came here, but our physical bodies didn't. I don't even know why we went there in the first place. Or how. Maybe we'll never know. I don't think it matters. My magic accomplished quite a bit, so I'm satisfied."

Sofia nodded then looked down at his chest. "Why do you have my amulet?"

Cedric blinked and followed her gaze. "I…I don't know!" He quickly removed it and went to hand it to her, but paused. "I don't have your amulet. Yours is around your neck. Besides, this is blue, not pink."

"There are _two_ amulets?" Sofia asked in bewilderment.

"The amulet split itself with its own magic," Goodwyn said as he entered. "Two colors, pink for Sofia and blue for you, Cedric. I've never seen an amulet do that, but then again, most amulets don't have such powerful magic attached to them. Don't get me wrong, I've seen other magical items split, but not amulets. The powers now belong to both of you. Use it wisely."

"Yes, Father," Cedric said. "Now I think we should sleep a little."

"Sofia!" Amber gasped as she and James raced in.

"Hey, you're awake!" the prince called happily.

"So much for sleep," Cedric muttered, and Sofia laughed.

The sorcerer watched his friend talk with her siblings, and he couldn't help but smile. They'd figure this out eventually. For now, he was content to sit back and listen to the children go on and on about how much they'd missed each other. Even if it did grate on his nerves a bit.


End file.
